I’m in awe of authors who can tell a heavy, challenging story in a lighthearted way.
Bonus points go to those who can take something that’s emotional and exhausting – like the presidential elections and the media, for example.
Amanda Wakes Up does just that. The book follows journalist Amanda Gallo, who goes from a field reporter to the anchor of a “Fair and Equal’s†network morning show and their coverage of a campaign between a qualified senator and a Hollywood actor.
Sound familiar?
I’m still exhausted, frankly, from the election and ongoing news coverage. But I couldn’t help but tear through this Amanda’s own journey as a woman, as an American, and as a journalist.
Most importantly, the book crystallized a thought that I’ve been holding onto since the night of the election – that we are more than the candidates we support, and there is more that unites us than divides us.
Why it took this delightful novel to remind me of this (versus my own conversations and life) is beyond me. But it was a refreshing, realistic message that I needed to hear again.
Politics aside, the book is frothy and generally predictable – but not in a bad way. I read it cover-to-cover while on vacation, and have a feeling that it will become a ‘security blanket book’ – one I re-read when I need something familiar, comforting, and a little bit cerebral.
Craving more books with strong women protagonists? You’ll love Alyssa Mastromonaco’s memoir, Startup, Chemistry, and Sweetbitter.
